Diervilla plant named &#39;g2x88544&#39;

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct cultivar of  Diervilla  plant named ‘G2X88544’, characterized by its upright and outwardly spreading plant habit; vigorous growth habit; moderate to rapid growth rate; freely branching habit; dense and bushy appearance; developing leaves are orange in color; fully expanded leaves become golden orange in color in the autumn; and good garden performance.

BOTANICAL DESIGNATION

Diervilla×splendens

CULTIVAR DENOMINATION

‘G2X88544’

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar ofDiervilla plant, botanically known as Diervilla×splendens, commonlyreferred to as bush honeysuckle and hereinafter referred to by thecultivar name ‘G2X88544’.

The new Diervilla is a product of a planned breeding program conductedby the Inventor in Bellefonte, Pa. The objective of the breeding programwas to develop new compact and freely branching Diervilla plants withattractive leaf color.

The new Diervilla plant originated from an open-pollination in August,2009 of a proprietary seedling selection of Diervilla×splendensidentified as code number 3349-4, not patented, as the female, or seed,parent with an unknown proprietary selection of Diervilla×splendens. Thenew Diervilla plant was discovered and selected by the Inventor on Sep.1, 2011 as a single flowering plant within the progeny of the statedopen-pollination in a controlled environment in Bellefonte, Pa.

Asexual reproduction of the new Diervilla plant by vegetative cuttingsin a controlled greenhouse environment in Bellefonte, Pa. has shown thatthe unique features of this new Diervilla plant are stable andreproduced true to type in successive generations of asexualreproduction.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Plants of the new Diervilla have not been observed under all possiblecombinations of environmental conditions and cultural practices. Thephenotype may vary somewhat with variations in environmental conditionssuch as temperature and light intensity without, however, any variancein genotype.

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined tobe the unique characteristics of ‘G2X88544’. These characteristics incombination distinguish ‘G2X88544’ as a new and distinct Diervillaplant:

-   -   1. Upright and outwardly spreading plant habit.    -   2. Vigorous growth habit and moderate to rapid growth rate.    -   3. Freely branching habit; dense and bushy appearance.    -   4. Developing leaves are orange in color.    -   5. Fully expanded leaves become golden orange in color in the        autumn.    -   6. Good garden performance.

Plants of the new Diervilla can be compared to plants of the femaleparent selection. In side-by-side comparisons, plants of the newDiervilla differ primarily from plants of the female parent selection inleaf color as developing leaves of the female parent selection are greenin color. In addition, developed leaves of the female parent selection.do not turn golden orange in the autumn.

Plants of the new Diervilla can be compared to plants of otherselections of Diervilla×splendens known to the Inventor, not patented.In side-by-side comparisons, plants of the new Diervilla differedprimarily from plants of other selections of Diervilla×splendens knownto the Inventor in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Diervilla were more freely branching and        denser than plants of other selections of Diervilla×splendens        known to the Inventor.    -   2. Plants of the new Diervilla and other selections of        Diervilla×splendens known to the Inventor differed in developing        leaf color as developing leaves of other selections of        Diervilla×splendens were green in color.    -   3. Plants of the new Diervilla and other selections of        Diervilla×splendens known to the Inventor differed in autumn        leaf color as fully expanded leaves of other selections of        Diervilla×splendens did not become golden orange in the autumn.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPHS

The accompanying colored photographs illustrate the overall appearanceof the new Diervilla plant showing the colors as true as it isreasonably possible to obtain in colored reproductions of this type.Colors in the photographs may differ slightly from the color valuescited in the detailed botanical description which accurately describethe colors of the new Diervilla plant. The photograph on the first sheetis a close-up view of a typical flowering plant of ‘G2X88544’ grownduring the spring. The photograph on the second sheet is a close-up viewof a typical plant of ‘G2X88544’ grown during the autumn.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

The aforementioned photographs and following observations, measurementsand values describe plants grown in the early summer in three-galloncontainers in a polypropylene-covered shadehouse in Grand Haven, Mich.and under cultural practices typical of commercial Diervilla production.During the production of the plants, day temperatures ranged from 18° C.to 27° C. and night temperatures ranged from 5° C. to 10° C. Plants weretwo years old when the photographs and the description were taken. Inthe description, color references are made to The Royal HorticulturalSociety Colour Chart, 1995 Edition, except where general terms ofordinary dictionary significance are used.

-   Botanical classification: Diervilla×splendens ‘G2X88544’.-   Parentage:    -   -   Female, or seed, parent.—Proprietary seedling selection of            Diervilla×splendens identified as code number 3349-4, not            patented.        -   Male, or pollen, parent.—Unknown proprietary selection of            Diervilla×splendens, not patented.-   Propagation:    -   -   Type.—By vegetative cuttings.        -   Time to initiate roots, summer.—About 10 to 21 days at            temperatures about 26° C.        -   Time to initiate roots, winter.—About two to three weeks at            temperatures about 26° C.        -   Time to produce a rooted young plant, summer.—About four            weeks at temperatures about 23° C.        -   Time to produce a rooted young plant, winter.—About four to            five weeks at temperatures about 19° C.        -   Root description.—Medium to thick; whitish in color.        -   Rooting habit.—Moderate branching; medium density.-   Plant description:    -   -   Plant form and growth habit.—Perennial deciduous shrub;            upright and outwardly spreading plant habit, mounding;            vigorous growth habit and moderate to rapid growth rate.        -   Branching habit.—Freely branching habit; about 80 to 100            lateral branches develop per plant; pinching enhances            lateral branch development.        -   Plant height.—About 68 cm.        -   Plant diameter (area of spread).—About 98 cm.-   Lateral branch description:    -   -   Length.—About 61 cm.        -   Diameter.—About 3.5 mm.        -   Internode length.—About 3.5 cm to 5 cm.        -   Aspect.—Erect to about 45° from vertical.        -   Strength.—Strong.        -   Texture.—Smooth, glabrous.        -   Color, upper surface.—Close to 144B.        -   Color, lower surface.—Close to 178A.-   Leaf description:    -   -   Arrangement.—Opposite, simple.        -   Length.—About 6.5 cm to 13 cm.        -   Width.—About 2 cm to 5 cm.        -   Shape.—Lanceolate to ovate.        -   Apex.—Acuminate.        -   Base.—Obtuse.        -   Margin.—Serrulate.        -   Texture, upper and lower surfaces.—Smooth, glabrous.        -   Venation pattern.—Pinnate.        -   Color.—Developing leaves, upper surface: Close to 137A            overlain with a blend close to 182A and 171A. Developing and            fully expanded leaves, lower surface: Close to 137C overlain            with close to 171C. Fully expanded leaves, upper surface:            Close to 137A; venation, close to 145A; in the autumn, color            becomes closer to 14A overlain with a blend close to 33A and            169A. Fully expanded leaves, lower surface: Close to 137C;            venation, close to 145C; in the autumn, color becomes closer            to 168C overlain with close to 14D.        -   Petioles.—Length: About 3 mm. Diameter: About 3 mm. Texture,            upper and lower surfaces: Smooth, glabrous. Color, upper and            lower surfaces: Close to 144B slightly overlain with close            to 178A.-   Flower description:    -   -   Flower appearance and arrangement.—Salverform flowers            arranged in terminal cymes; freely flowering habit with            about 18 to 33 flowers developing per inflorescence; flowers            face upright to outwardly.        -   Fragrance.—None detected.        -   Natural flowering season.—Plants flower continuously during            the spring to mid-summer in Michigan; flowers not            persistent.        -   Inflorescence height.—About 4 cm.        -   Inflorescence diameter.—About 5 cm.        -   Flower diameter.—About 1.5 cm.        -   Flower length.—About 1.4 cm.        -   Flower throat diameter (at base of petal lobes).—About 5 mm.        -   Flower tube length.—About 7 mm.        -   Flower tube diameter (at base of tube).—About 2 mm.        -   Flower buds.—Length: About 1 cm. Diameter: About 2 mm.            Shape: Oblong. Color: Close to 145A.        -   Petals.—Quantity and arrangement: Five fused with apices            free. Length: About 8 mm. Width: About 3 mm. Shape: Narrowly            oblong. Apex: Obtuse. Margin: Entire. Texture, upper and            lower surfaces: Smooth, glabrous. Color: When opening and            fully opened, upper surface: Close to 151D; flower throat,            close to 151D. When opening and fully opened, lower surface:            Close to 14A; flower tube, close to 14A.        -   Sepals.—Quantity and arrangement: Five in a single whorl.            Length: About 2 mm. Width: About 0.5 mm to 1 mm. Shape:            Lanceolate. Apex: Acuminate. Margin: Entire. Texture, upper            and lower surfaces: Smooth, glabrous. Color, upper and lower            surfaces: Close to 144B.        -   Peduncles.—Length: About 3 mm. Diameter: About 1 mm. Aspect:            Erect to about 45° from vertical. Strength: Strong. Texture:            Smooth, glabrous. Color: Close to 144B.        -   Pedicels.—Length: About 8 mm. Diameter: About 1 mm. Aspect:            About 25° from peduncle axis. Strength: Strong. Texture:            Smooth, glabrous. Color: Close to 144B.        -   Reproductive organs.—Stamens: Quantity per flower: Five.            Filament length: About 5 mm. Filament color: Close to 145D.            Anther length: About 3 mm. Anther shape: Lanceolate. Anther            color: Close to 17A. Pollen amount: Scarce. Pollen color:            Close to 17A. Pistils: Quantity per flower: One. Pistil            length: About 1.4 cm. Stigma shape: Round. Stigma color:            Close to 144B. Style length: About 1.4 cm. Style color:            Close to 144B. Ovary color: Close to 144B.        -   Fruits and seeds.—Fruit and seed development have not been            observed on plants of the new Diervilla.-   Garden performance: Plants of the new Diervilla have been observed    to have good garden performance and to tolerate rain, wind and    temperatures ranging from −28° C. to 35° C.-   Pathogen & pest resistance: Plants of the new Diervilla have not    been shown to be resistant to pathogens and pests common to    Diervilla plants.

It is claimed:
 1. A new and distinct Diervilla plant named ‘G2X88544’ asillustrated and described.